By Dr. Abimbola Farinde Most drugmakers have come to realize specialty drugs are where they can achieve the most money, and they have been seeking ways to take advantage of this in recent years. As a result, the associated costs of drugs in the United States have become a major topic of discussion, particularly as they relate to escalating drug prices. The amount of money spent on both brand-name drugs and specialty drugs continued to increase from 2011 to 2015, according to a new report.READ MORE

AzPA The AzPA is looking for members with a few hours to spare. The AzPA is in need of members who would like to have a voice and involvement in helping the AzPA to continue to move forward. It takes just a few hours each month to volunteer on one of the Academies: ACCP, Community Pharmacy, Geriatric, Health-System, Managed Care, Student Pharmacist, or the Technician Academy. For more information and how to join an Academy, click here.

AzPADust of your clubs ... the Arizona Pharmacy Foundation Golf Tournament is back! On Friday, June 10, the APF is hosting a golf tournament at the Annual Convention. The funds raised at the golf tournament will go toward student scholarships, residency program development, proper use of medications and their proper disposal and the PAPA program. Recruit your family, friends or colleagues and sign-up with your foursome. For more information, click here.

AzPAPharmacy Residents — Are you looking for a platform to present your research projects? Look no further! The 2nd Annual Southwestern States Residency Conference is being held in conjunction with the AzPA Annual Convention on Friday, June 10. The Residency Conference is a great place for program directors, preceptors and residents to network with colleagues. For more information and to register for the conference, click here. For more information regarding the Annual Convention please visit our website.

AzPA The countdown has started! Nine weeks and three days until the Annual Convention. While each AzPA staff member has a role to accomplish to make sure the convention is as seamless as possible for our members, let’s not forget the most important component of the Annual Convention ... you! You can register here.

Pharmacy TimesWhat patients don't know about their prescription medications can hurt them.
Nearly 6 in 10 Americans take a prescription drug, while about 21 percent of them regularly take three or more prescription medications.
Pharmacists can promote patient safety by making sure that patients know the ins and outs of their medications, which can reduce preventable harm and medication errors.
Specifically, pharmacists can help patients learn the following about their medications.READ MORE

Laboratory EquipmentMIT researchers have developed a compact, portable pharmaceutical manufacturing system that can be reconfigured to produce a variety of drugs on demand.
Just as an emergency generator supplies electricity to handle a power outage, this system could be rapidly deployed to produce drugs needed to handle an unexpected disease outbreak, or to prevent a drug shortage caused by a manufacturing plant shutdown, the researchers say.READ MORE

By Denise A. Valenti The National Institutes of Health sponsored "Marijuana and Cannabinoids: A Neuroscience Research Summit." This conference was the first meeting of its kind with a such a strong commitment and federal representation. The focus was research related to the neurological and psychiatric effects of marijuana, other cannabinoids and the endocannabinoid system. What was unique was that both the adverse and the potential therapeutic effects of marijuana were presented.READ MORE

The Wall Street JournalFederal officials urged state and local agencies to prepare for the potential transmission of the Zika virus in the U.S., warning that eliminating the mosquitoes that carry it could be challenging.READ MORE

The New York TimesThe Food and Drug Administration has relaxed the guidelines for taking a pill that induces abortion, reviving one of the most contentious issues of the abortion debate. The change allows women to use the drug further into pregnancy and with fewer visits to the doctor.READ MORE

APhAPrescribers in New York state are now required by law to prescribe using an electronic system that is directly connected to pharmacies.
The New York State Legislature in 2012 passed the Internet System for Tracking Over-Prescribing Act, which requires all prescriptions to be submitted to pharmacies electronically. Although Minnesota already mandates electronic prescribing, New York is the first state to assess penalties to physicians and other health care professionals who do not adhere to the new rules. Noncompliant prescribers could be subject to fines, loss of license, or jail.READ MORE